US woman to be extradited over fatal car crash in California

An American woman charged over a fatal car crash in California has been refused bail and must surrender to be extradited from South Australia.

Andrea Dorothy Chan Reyes appeared in Adelaide Magistrates Court today after she was arrested on a US warrant in April 2018.

Documents released by the court allege Chan Reyes killed a cyclist, 46-year-old Agustin Rodriguez Junior, in January 2017.

She is accused of dragging the man nearly 300 metres before he was dislodged, and then driving away.

Chan Reyes later told a crash repairer she had hit a deer, but investigations revealed bloodstains found on the vehicle belonged to the dead cyclist.

Lawyers for Chan Reyes had argued she be released while awaiting extradition because her mental health had deteriorated and she received "less than ideal" treatment in prison.

They said her extradition could be delayed because of the looming federal election and a possible change in government.

But magistrate David McLeod ruled that if released, Chan Reyes might flee the country because she was unstable and had not "committed or connected" to Australia.

"There is a real flight risk which can only be addressed in accordance with the authorities refusing bail," he said.

Mr McLeod also ordered that she was eligible to surrender for extradition, although any order must be signed off by the federal attorney-general.